Miscanthus plant named ‘EMPMIS01’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Miscanthus, Miscanthus sinensis  ‘EMPMIS01’, that is characterized by its flower plumes that are dark red in color, its compact plant habit and short plant height, its long flowering period, and its floriferous blooming habit in producing numerous flowering stems.

Botanical classification: Miscanthus sinensis.

Cultivar designation: ‘EMPMIS01’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rights application filed on Apr. 20, 2015, application No. 2015/0874. There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed plant breeder's rights documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Miscanthus sinensis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘EMPMIS01’. ‘EMPMIS01’ represents a new cultivar of Japanese silver grass, a cold hardy, perennial ornamental grass grown for landscape use.

‘EMPMIS01’ was discovered by the Inventors as a chance seedling in a trial field in Berltsum, The Netherlands in August of 2010. The parentage is unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by division by one of the Inventors in Harich, The Netherlands in January 2015. Asexual propagation by division has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘EMPMIS01’ as a unique cultivar of Miscanthus.

-   1. ‘EMPMIS01’ exhibits flower plumes that are dark red in color. -   2. ‘EMPMIS01’ exhibits a compact plant habit and short plant height. -   3. ‘EMPMIS01’ exhibits a long flowering period. -   4. ‘EMPMIS01’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit in producing     numerous flowering stems.

‘EMPMIS01’ can be most closely compared to the cultivar ‘Kleine Fontaine’ (not patented) and ‘Gracillimus’ (not patented). ‘Kleine Fontaine’ is similar to ‘EMPMIS01’ in having weeping inflorescences. ‘Kleine Fontaine’ differs from ‘EMPMIS01’ in having a taller plant height, flowers that are light red in color, and a shorter blooming period. ‘Gracillimus’ is similar to ‘EMPMIS01’ in having coppery red flowers when opening and thin foliage with a white midrib. ‘Gracillimus’ differs from ‘EMPMIS01’ in having a taller plant height and in blooming later in the season.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Miscanthus. The photographs were taken in September of plants 4 years in age as grown outdoors in a 40-cm container in Berltsum, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1. provides a side view of a plant of ‘EMPMIS01’ and illustrates the overall plant habit and general appearance in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2. provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘EMPMIS01.

The photograph in FIG. 3. provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘EMPMIS01’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors of the new Miscanthus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 4 year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in September in 40-cm containers Berltsum, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms in July through September in The             Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, ornamental grass with an             upright, broad form and dense, compact bushy foliage.         -   Height and spread.—Average of 1.1 m in height (from soil to             top of foliar plane), 1.28 m in height (from soil to top of             floral plane), 1.31 m in diameter.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 6 to 10.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Root development.—An average of 4 months for root initiation             and an average of 6 months to produce a young rooted plant.         -   Propagation.—Semi-hardwood stem cuttings and division.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   General.—Rounded, strong.         -   Stem aspect.—Growing from the base, held upright,             vertically.         -   Stem quantity.—Average of 250 basal shoots.         -   Stem color.—Young 150C, mature N144A, internodes 156C,             tinged with 175B.         -   Stem size.—An average of 90.5 cm in length (from base of             shoots to base of inflorescence), 3 mm in diameter,             internode 6.8 cm in length.         -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Stem nodes.—An average of 4 mm in diameter, N144A and tinged             175B in color, glabrous surface. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Sheathed.         -   Leaf apex.—Narrow and long acuminate.         -   Leaf aspect.—Slightly carinate, tips twisted, leaves             arching.         -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, only main vein is visible, upper             surface color N155A, lower surface color 138B.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, with sharp short bristles that are not             visually noticeable.         -   Internode length.—An average of 6.8 cm.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 48.1 cm in length, an average of 5             mm in width, sheath length 15.7 cm, sheath width 5 mm.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surface glabrous and smooth,             matte, ligules; moderately pubescent with thin hairs an             average of 2 mm in length and NN155A in color.         -   Leaf number.—An average of 12 per shoot.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A, young lower surface             138A, mature upper surface between 143A and 146A, mature             lower surface 146B to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Compact, fan-shaped panicle terminating             from each stem, composed of numerous slender, silky             aggregate racemes, cascadin, spikelets arranged in pairs on             individual zig-zag like racemes.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 1 month,             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Panicle size.—An average of 18.7 cm in length and 16 cm in             width.         -   Panicle color.—A blend of 164A and 164B.         -   Flower number.—430 flowers per inflorescence, average of             50,000 flowers per plant.         -   Flower buds.—An average of 7 mm in length, 2 mm in diameter,             narrow ovate in shape, 161A to 161B in color, surface is             smooth, glabrous, moderately glossy and covered with fine             hairs extending from the base of the floret.         -   Flowers.—Single, consisting of two glumes, one palea and one             lemma, upright aspect, freely flowering habit, average of 2             mm in height and diameter, 8 mm in depth.         -   Peduncle.—An average of 17.9 cm in length and 0.6 mm in             width, moderately strong, smooth and glabrous, moderately             glossy and 144B in color.         -   Pedicels.—An average of 4 mm in length and 0.4 mm in width,             moderately strong, smooth and glabrous, moderately glossy             and 144B in color.         -   Spikelet description.—Consisting of 2 glumes, 1 palea, 1             lemma, surface slightly glossy, ovate in shape, strongly             concave, base cuneate, no venation visible, not fading, 2             glumes oppositely placed at the base of each individual             flower, lemma and palea oppositely placed above the glumes,             margins of glumes and lemma entire, margins of palea             fringed, apex of glumes and palea acute, apex of lemma             narrow acute, average length of lower glume 4.5 mm, upper             glume 6 mm in length, length of lemma 8 mm, length of palea             4 mm, glume and palea width 0.75 mm, width of lemma 0.5 mm,             color; when opening both sides of glumes 164C, lemma and             palea N155A, tip of lemma 165B, one whorl of fine hairs             extending from the base of the floret; average of 1 cm in             length, 156D and tinged 181C in color, overall flower color;             a blend of 164A, 164B, 164C and 165B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Stamens; average of 2, anthers; narrow oblong in             shape, 1.5 mm in length, 0.3 mm in width, 166B in color,             filament; average of 2 mm in length, transparent and NN155D,             pollen; none.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 2, 3 mm in length, stigmas; feather-like,             2 mm in length, 0.1 mm in diameter, 200A in color, style; 1             mm in length, NN155D in color, ovary; 144A to 144B in color.         -   Caryopsis.—No caryopsis production was observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Miscanthus plant named ‘EMPMIS01’ as herein illustrated and described. 